Success Story

Virtual Incentive Event for a Financial Services Organization

A large financial services organization needed to recognize top performers when its usual in-person incentive program was no longer possible.

ELP helped reshape the program into a virtual incentive experience for more than 1,500 colleagues working from home. The program did not try to copy the trip online. It created a different kind of recognition experience through pre-event communication, gifting, executive recognition, guest appearances, and a live broadcast.

The Mandate

The client needed a meaningful replacement for one of its biggest recognition events of the year. In previous years, the program centred on travel and in-person hospitality, but that format was no longer possible during lockdowns and travel restrictions.

The audience included high-performing employees who were already spending long hours in online meetings. The experience had to feel worthy of their achievement and respectful of the time they were already spending online.

The goal was not to move a live event onto a video call. The work was to rethink the incentive experience so the audience could still be celebrated while participating from home.

What Made The Program Complex?

The harder task was preserving the feeling of recognition that usually came from the trip. It needed to hold attention in a digital setting and create a shared moment for a large remote audience.

Key considerations included:

Making the program feel premium, not like another online meeting
Building anticipation before the main event
Recognizing top performers in a way that felt personal
Coordinating gifting, executive participation, guest appearances, and live production
Creating a connected experience for people joining from home

ELP’s Approach

ELP developed the program as a complete incentive experience, rather than a single virtual event. The plan built momentum before the broadcast through staged communications, pre-event surprises, and smaller moments that helped connect participants.

The experience included a custom-built box with hand-selected gifts from Canadian companies. These tangible elements gave the audience something physical to experience beyond their screens.

The main event was a custom, live 90-minute television-style broadcast. It included executive recognition, thank-you videos, curated chat, and interviews with well-known guests whose stories tied back to the program theme.

What Happened During The Broadcast?

The live broadcast was designed to feel exclusive and highly produced. It gave senior leaders a direct way to recognize top performers while creating a shared viewing experience for the full audience.

The guest lineup included well-known figures from entertainment, sport, and leadership, including Ryan Reynolds, Catherine O’Hara, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, and Masai Ujiri. Their appearances added surprise and helped separate the program from a typical virtual corporate event.

The broadcast was designed to feel specific to the audience, not like a generic livestream.

What Made the Virtual Recognition Program Successful?

The program recognized more than 1,500 colleagues at a time when in-person celebration and incentive travel were not possible.

It worked because the experience was not treated as a backup plan. It was designed as its own recognition format, with physical touchpoints, live production, executive involvement, and moments of surprise built into the experience.

The response created momentum inside the client organization and gave the team a format that could be adapted for future recognition programs across the enterprise.

FAQ

Can ELP produce virtual incentive and recognition programs?
Yes. ELP can design and produce virtual incentive and recognition programs that go beyond a standard online meeting. This can include creative planning, executive recognition, gifting, guest integration, broadcast production, and full event delivery.

How do you make a virtual recognition event feel special?
A virtual recognition event feels special when it is treated as a complete experience, not just a livestream. Pre-event communication, physical touchpoints, senior leader involvement, and a polished broadcast format can all help make the experience feel more meaningful.

Can ELP help replace an in-person incentive trip with a virtual experience?
Yes. ELP can help organizations rethink incentive programs when travel is not possible, practical, or right for the audience. The goal is to preserve the impact of recognition in a format that still feels personal.

What types of organizations benefit from this kind of recognition program?
This type of program can work well for large organizations, national teams, sales groups, financial services companies, and employee recognition programs where the audience needs to feel recognized and connected.

Why does broadcast production matter for a virtual recognition event?
Broadcast production helps a virtual recognition event be more intentional and worth watching. It supports pacing, visual quality, smoother transitions, and a more professional audience experience.

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